Foundation boring machine



E. T. SHINN FOUNDATION BORING MACHINE Filed Dec. 28, I 1933 '5 Sheets-Sheet l ,w/y y ATTORNEY Aplrfifi 23, E935. SHINN 1,999,115

' FOUNDATION BORING MACHINE Filed Dec. 28, 1933 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 I04 92 90 m V 95 4; 46

I 54 l I I INVENTOR WITNESSES 46 43 Zdwa/z/ 1157mm ATTORNEY Apriiil 23, 1935. E. T. SHINN FOUNDATION BORING MACHINE Filed Dec. 28, 1953 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 P INVENTOR Zaumvl 1 572021? BY WITNESSES lx ATTORNE April 23, 1935.

E. T. SHINN 1,999,115

FOUNDATION BORING MACHINE 7 Filed Dec. 28, 1933 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 /05 f j $09 w f, 7 //0 I f /23 pd v l a //9 3-. I74

WITNESSES 52w. /foym anti A r. 23, 1931s NITED STAT FUUNDATION BORING MACHINE Edward T. Shinn, HarrisomN. .l'. Application December 28, 1933, Serial No. 704,335

6 Claims.

This invention relates to an improved foundation boring machine, the object being to provide a construction wherein various sized holes may be bored in the earth to varying depths.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a machine for boring comparatively large holes in the earth to varying depths, the same being of a size to receive concrete or other material to form a foundation for a building or other superstructure.

A further object of the invention is to provide a boring machine for boring holes in the earth wherein the power means and the various controlling members of the boring apparatus are caused to function through a remote control so that the operator may remain at a distance from the boring machine.

An additional object of the invention is to provide a boring apparatus having a remote control, the structure being such that the power means for actuating the device is carried immediately adjacent the boring head.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a boring machine for boring holes of different diameter, the structure including power means carried near the boring head with part of the means acting to open and close the head, so that at one time it acts as a boring head and at another time as a bucket for elevating and discharging the matter removed.

In the accompanying drawings- Figure 1 1s a side view of a foundation boring machine disclosing an embodiment of the invention, part of the machine being shown in section for better illustrating certain details;

Figure 2 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view through the head and control mechanism shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view through 40 Figure 2 approximately on the line 3-3;

Figure 4 is a horizontal sectional view through Figure 2 on the line t-fll;

Figure 5 is a horizontal sectional view through Figure 2 on the line 5-5;

Figure 6 is a detailed perspective view showing the arrangement of pulleys and cables embodying certain features of the invention;

Figure 7 is 'a diagram showing the wiring for the remote control mechanism used in controlling 50 the power means shown in Figures 2 to 4, in-

clusive;

Figure 8 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view through Figure 1 approximately on the line 8-B.

Referring to the accompanying drawings by numerals, l indicates a truck of any desired kind provided with a crane 2 for supporting the boring apparatus 3, and for accommodating certain elevating cables hereinafter fully described. The boring apparatus 3 includes pulleys 4i and 5, as shown in Figure 6, said pulleys accommodating the elevating cable 5, which also passes over pulleys l and 8, pulley 8 being supported by the shaft 9. Auxiliary pulleys I0 and l l are also carried by shaft 9, said auxiliary pulleys accommodating suitable cables I 2 and I3 used in raising the crane 2. By the arrangement of pulleys and cables 6 as shown in Figures 1 and 6, the boring structure 3 may be raised at any time or lowered by paying out cable 6. The boring apparatus 3 is provided with a casing It in which-an electric motor i5 is mounted.

A square shaft or rod I6 is rigidly secured in any desired manner, for instance, by bolts, to the upper end of easing I i. vided with an enlarged square head IT at the upper end slidingly fitting into the square shaft [3 which has a bead l9 slidingly fitting into the shaft 20, which latter shaft is provided with a bead 2 I. The respective square shafts are readily seen in their proper relation by an examination of Figure 8. Shaft 20 is guided by a guiding disc 22 which is pivotally mounted through the use of certain journals at 23 and 24 (Fig. 8), said journals rotatably fitting in a ring 25 which has the journal members 26 and 27! rotatably fitted into the bearings 28 and 29 carried by the upper end of the crane 2. This arrangement provides an effective guide for shaft 20 and associated parts but allows the same to freely swing in any direction, though the shafts cannot rotate in a horizontal plane, thus providing an abutment against which the torque of motor l5 acts when this motor is rotating the boring head 30. The use of the various telescoping shafts as illustrated in Figures 1 and 8 is in order that the boring head 30 may be caused to operate at different distances according to the length of the various shafts above mentioned.

The device is adapted to drill ahole in the earth for a few feet or for a great number of feet, say seventy-five or possibly one hundred feet, depending on the length of the guiding shafts l6, l8 and 20. It is to be understood that in operation when boring a hole the boring head 30 is lowered and allowed to rest on the ground. At the same time this head is rotated by the main driving motor l5 until the head becomes filled or partly filled with earth. The motor may then be stopped and the cable 6 pulled for raising the boring struc- This rod or shaft is proture 3. After the boring structure, including the head 30, is swung to one side by the crane 2, certain mechanism hereinafter fully described is operated for opening 'the bottom of the head 30, whereby the earth therein will be allowed to drop out under the action of gravity. The boring structure 3 is then swung back over the hole and lowered until it strikes the bottom of the hole. Motor 15 is then started and the head rotated until it again becomes filled and the operation just described is repeated. This action is repeated as often as may be necessary to secure the desired depth of hole. The drilling of a comparatively large hole, for instance, four to six feet, is especially desirable to provide foundation pillars or columns, though the holes could be used for any purpose.

The casing M which encloses the main driving motor 15 guides at its lower end a shaft 3 I, which shaft is rigidly secured to the armature or ro tating element of the motor l5 so that the shaft 3| will rotate whenever the motor l5 rotates. The connection of shaft 3| to armature or the rotating part of'motor |5 is through any desired form of reducing gear (not shown) whereby shaft 3| will rotate rather slowly while motor I5 operates at a high rate of speed. In this way power from the motor is multiplied and the head 30 and associated parts are rotated at a desired speed. Shaft 3| is keyed or otherwise rigidly secured to plate 32, which plate has a sleeve 33 extending upwardly therefrom and surrounding most of shaft 3|. In addition a nut 3| is used as shown in Fig. 2 whereby the weight of the parts below the motor may be readily supported. A number of slip rings 34 are carried by the sleeve 33 but insulated therefrom by a suitable insulation 35. A supporting bar 36 is bolted or otherwise rigidly secured to casing I4 which supports a number of spring contacts 31, 38, 39, 40, 4| and 42. The contacts 31 to 42, inclusive, continually engage the various rings 34 so that there will always be a contact between the two members notwithstanding the movement of the insulating sleeve 35 with its plate 32. These contacts and associated parts are shown in the diagram in Figure 7 and the function of these parts will be described fully hereinafter. Plate 32 is rigidly secured to a number of posts 43 by bolts or other means, said posts being rigidly secured to or integral with the base 44 which, through the respective bolts 45, is rigidly secured to the bar 46. Bar 46 is in the nature of a cross as illustrated particularly in Figure 2 and at the outer part thereof carries the drum which is welded or otherwise rigidly secured to the respective arms of bar 46. This drum forms part of the boring head 30, as is true of the bar 46.

Referring again to the posts 43 it will be seen that some have secured thereto a cross bar 48 which is adapted to support the idler gear wheel 49 which continually meshes with the pinion 56 and the large gear 5|. Pinion 56 is connected to the rotating part of the electric motor 52, which motor is supported by one of the posts 43 by a suitable bracket 53. It will be noted that the motor 52 is positioned vertically as this is the most convenient manner to position the same so as to transmit power to the large gear 59 which is rigidly secured to the threaded shaft 54 extending downwardly through base 44 and bar 46.

Shaft 54 is screwed into an internally threaded sleeve 55, this sleeve merging into a solid portion 56 at the lower end, said solid portion being apertured for accommodating the bar 61 which is connected to the solid portion 56 by the pin 58. A guiding tube 59 is provided with an enlarged upper end 69 as shown in Figure 3 whereby the bolts 64 may clamp the tube to the bar 56 and permit the tube to readily guide and hold in place the threaded sleeve or shaft 55. A sliding sleeve 62 is loosely fitted over the tube 59 and slides thereon for purposes hereinafter fully described. It will be noted that the tube 59 is provided with slots 63 and 64 for accommodating the bar 51 so that when the shaft or sleeve 55 moves upwardly and downwardly bar 51 may readily slide in these slots, sleeve 62 sliding freely over the tube 59. The tube 59 extends downwardly to a point substantially in line with the bottom of the boring head 30 when closed, said tube accommodating a hollow pointed head 65 having a number of apertures 66, said head having a tubular portion 61 fitting into the lower end of tube 59 whereby air may freely pass downwardly and mix with the earth being excavated. It will be understood that as the sleeve 62 is loose, air may freely pass into the interior of tube 59 and thence out through the openings in the head 65, said head acting as a centering extension for centering the boring head 30 when in operation.

The bars or cables 68 and 69 are pivotally mounted on the outer ends of bar 51 and pivotally connected at 10 and 1| to the leaves 12 and 13 of the hinges 14 and 15, which hinges connect the blades 16 and 11 to the drum 41. Any desired number of pins 18 may be connected to drum 41 and extend into suitable notches in the respective blades 56 and 51 so as to take the strain 0115 the hinges during the operation of the boring head 30.

From Figure 5 it will be seen that the respective blades 16 and 11 are provided with cutters 19 and which are preferably removable, said cutters being held in place by any desired means as, for instance, bolts or rivets. When the blades 16 and 11 are closed the device is in position for operation, there being sufficient opening in front of each of the cutters to admit the earth as the boring head is rotated. After the boring head has been filled or partly filled with earth and it is desired to dump the same, the entire structure is pulled out of the hole, swung to one side, and

then motor 52 is set into operation, whereupon the threaded shaft 54 will be rotated in such a direction as to force the sleeve 55 downwardly, and as it moves downwardly it will force bar 51 and associated parts downwardly, whereupon the blades 16 and 11 will be lowered to the dotted position shown in Figure 2, thus permitting a dumping operation. After dumping the contents, motor 52 is reversed and the parts moved upwardly to the position shown in Figure 2, whereupon the device is ready to be lowered into the hole for further operation.

The motor 52, is set into operation by closing a switch at a distant point, thus permitting the motor tobe actuated through the use of a re-,

mote control. However, when the motor has been started by the remote control it is automatically stopped by certain means as shown in Figures 2 and 7. As illustrated in Figure 2 a bracket 8| is secured to the sliding sleeve 62, said'bracket having an aperture therein so that the rod 92 may slide freely therethrough. This rod is provided with abutments 83, 84 and 85. Preferably these abutments are nuts threaded into position so that they may be readily adjusted as desired. Coacting: with the rod 82 are switch arms 86 and 81. These arms coact with the contacts II and re. These switch arms are spring pressed so that whenever released they will engage their respective contacts. When in the position shown in Figure 2 switch arm 81 is shown closed, while switch arm 86 is shown open. As the sliding sleeve 62 moves downwardly bar 5'! will also move downwardly and will carry with it the bracket 3!. Shortly before the bar 5'! reaches the lowermost end of its movement bracket 8! will strike.

the abutment 83 and will move this abutment and rod 82 downwardly as the sleevecontinu'es its downward movement. The parts are so proportioned that rod 82 is pulled downwardly sufficiently to release arm 86 so that it will engage contacts 88, and a little later engage and open the switch arm 81. Switch arm 81 remains open until through action of the remote control the motor 52 receives current in a reverse direction to raise the various parts, which when raised will automatically permit the 'arm 81 to close and will almost simultaneously open arm 86.

It will be understood that suitable wiring as hereinafter described and as shown in Figure 7 is provided and extends from the various switch arms just mentioned and from motor 52 to a suitable distant point as, for instance, a switchboard on the truck 0 as shown in Figure 1. It will be further noted that the motor 52 acts to openand close the boring head 30, while motor 55 acts to rotate the boring head and associated parts. The boring head 30 and associated parts are raised and lowered by any hoisting drum associated with the cable 6. The various parts will function as just described and bore a hole of a given diameter, for instance, 4 feet in diameter.

However, under some circumstances it may be desired to bore a hole of greater diameter as, for instance, a five foot hole. When this is the case some auxiliary mechanism is brought into play, the same being shown particularly at the upper part of Figure 2 and also in Figure 4. In these two figures it will be seen that there are provided cutters or boring members 90 and 90, said members having turned up ends 92 and $3 and cutting edges on these ends and at part of the body of the boring tools. These boring tools are slidably mounted on the base M and have brackets 96 and connected therewith rigidly by bolts or other suitable means. These brackets at the upper ends are preferably forked so as to straddle the reduced portions t6 and 971 of the respective traveling nuts 9% and 99, which nuts are mounted on a right-and-left hand threaded rod mt. This rod is mounted in suitable journal members in the posts 413. A small gearwheel it! is rigidly secured to shaft But near one end and continually meshes with the idler pinion 32, which in turn continually meshes with thegear wheel W3 rigidly secured to the moving part of the electric motor HM, which motor is supported by a suitable bracket me, said bracket being bolted or otherwise rigidly secured to one of the posts 63. It will, therefore, be seenthat when motor Wt operates in one direction the traveling nuts es and 319 will be moved toward each other and the ends 93 and 92 of the cutters will also be moved toward each other. It will also be noted that when motor itil'is reversed the various parts will move in a reverse direction. By causing the motor w ll to function properly the cutters may be moved outwardly or inwardly to any desired extent within the limits of the machine.

It will be understood that when in operation the boring head it will first bore a hole of the diameter of the drum All! until the cutters so and 9i engage the earth,. whereupon these cutters will enlarge the hole and allow the loosened earth to fall into the drum 51, said drum being open at the upper end. This action is carried out for the full depth of the hole whether it is ten feet or seventy-five feet. The motor I04 is controlled by a remote control mechanism shown particularly in "Figure 7, whereby it may be moved as desired on the control board which may be placed in the cabin of the truck I so that it may be conveniently operated.

When using the cutters 90 and Si they may, if desired, be drawn inwardly whenever the boring head 30 is removed so as not to interfere with the easy removal of the loaded boring head. After dumping the cutters 9B and 9| are moved outwardly to their former position so that they will be in proper position for operation when the boring head is lowered into the bottom of the hole.

Connected with one of the traveling nuts 98 and 99 is a mechanism similar to rod 82 and associated parts, the same having been omitted from Figure 2 so that the figure may be more easily read. However, the mechanism and function thereof is exactly that set forth in regard to the rod 82 and associated parts. This mechanism has been shown in diagram in Figure 7 as well as the rod 82 and associated parts.

Referring more particularly to Figure '7 the various circuits will be traced and from these circuits it will be readily seen that the parts may functon as hereinbefore described.

As illustrated in Figure 7, the wires I06 and it? are the feed or bus lines, and to these wires are connected suitable feed wires M8, I09 and H0. Wires M9 and MD are positive while wire W8 is negative. A suitableswitch Hi is'provided so that current may be readily turned on and off. When switch HE is closed current will pass through the positive wire N19 to the spring contact 3i and to. wire M 2. Current from the buswires W6 and it? is adapted to pass through wires M3 and i M to the motor 05 whenever the control rheostat i it is turned on, whereby the motor MS may be caused to function at any time and may be stopped at any time without interfering with the operation of any of the other parts. Current will pass from wire M2 to the armature of motor 52, and also through wire M2 to the armature of motor me. From these motors current will pass to the return wire M6, to the negative wire H5, then back through the spring contact 38 to wire toil, and thence to the bus wire 11%. It will thus be seen that when switch MB is turned on current will be supplied to the armatures of motors 52 and. iill, but these latter two motors will not function until current" is supplied to their fields Ml? and H8. If the parts are in operative position and the boring head is being lowered, motors 0M and 52 will remain idle as the head is lowered, though motor ifiwill continue to function and will be allowed to operate until the boring head is filled or partly filled with earth and again raised to the surface. However, after the loaded boring head has been raised from the hole and swung to one side;

flow through wire I 23 to the spring contact 39 and thence to wire I2I. Current flowing through this wire will pass into wire I28, through the windings of magnet I29, through wire I30, back to the negative wire I I5, thus completing the circuit of the magnet I29.. This will almost instantly cause the magnet to move the bar I3l.

so as to close-the respective contacts I32 and I33. It will be understood that these contacts are closed almost simultaneously with the energization of the magnet I29 and, consequently, current will flow through contact I33, wire I34, contact 89, arm 86, wires I35 and I36 to the field windings I II of motor 52, and through these windings current will flow through wire I3I to contact I32, thence through wire I30 back to the negative wire I I5. It will thus be seen that when the switch H9 is closed current will be supplied to the magnet I29, and current will also be supplied to the field II! of motor 62 so that this motor will begin to function and will move the bar 51 (Fig. 2) downwardly, together with all the parts associated therewith. As these parts move downwardly the blades 56 and 51 will be opened and bracket 8| will eventually strike abutment 83 and move rod 82 downwardly until arm 06 is released and arm 81 disengaged from its contact 39. As soon as this disengagement takes place the windings I will be deprived of current and motor 52 will stop automatically even though switch I I9 is maintained closed.

The operator can readily see when the boring head 30 has been dumped and can then remove his hand from the switch II9. To close the blades I6 and 11 the operator leaves switch II9 open and closes switch I20. As soon as switch H9 is opened the entire line, including the magnet I26, will be deprived of current, but as soon as switch I20 is closed current will flow through wire I24 to spring contact 40 so as to energize 'the wire I39. Current flowing in this direction will pass through the windings of magnet I40 so as to energize the same, and will'then flow back to wire I to the negative wire H5. The

energization of magnet I40 will pull upwardly on I the bar I42 so as to close the respective contacts I43 and I44. These are closed almost simultaneously with the energization of magnet I40 so that current will flow through the wire I45 tocontacts I44 and through these contacts to wire I46, contact 88, arm 36, wire I4'I, wire I48 to and through field windings III, and then back throughwire I48, contact I43 and wire I to the negative wire II5. This will energize .the motor 52 so as to cause the same to run in a reverse direction and thereby pull upwardly on bar 51 (Fig. 2). This upward'mcvement is continued until theblades I6 and 11 are closed. Substantially'at the time of closing of these blades the bracket 8I will strike the abutment 84 and raise rod 82 so that abutment 85 will raise the arm 86 and disengage the same from contact 89, thus opening the circuit of the field Ill and thereby causing the motor 52 to stop. It will be noted that the motor stops even though switch I20 is maintained closed. As long as switch I20 is closed the magnet I40 will remain energized, but as soon as the operator sees that the boring head has been closed he releases switch I20 and then manipulates the crane. so as to allow the boring head to be again lowered into the hole for further boring operation. It will be noted that no one is near the boring head during operation thereof as all the controls are arranged ata dis tance with the opening and closing of the'blades I6 and I1 automatically stopped at the proper places.

The switches I2I and I22 are identical with switches I I9 and I20. The various wires are also identical but are used in connection with the motor I04 for moving the cutters 90- and 9I in and out. It is therefore thought that no additional description thereof will be necessary as the construction and operation are identical.

I claim:-

1. A foundation boring machine including a hollow boring head having a bottom divided into two parts and swingable to an openiand closed position, means for swinging said bottom, and a guide for guiding said means, said guide extending to a point above the head, said means including a reciprocating tubular member ar ranged centrally of the head and surrounding said guide, a bar carried by said tubular member, and links for connecting said bar to said two parts.

2. A foundation boring machine including a boring head having a top member, a guiding tube extending from said top member downwardly, an apertured piercing head carried at the bottom of said tube whereby air may be distributed, a drum connected to said top member, a pair of blades connected to the bottom edge of the drum and forming a bottom formation arranged above the apertured head so that air may be discharged into the material being excavated during the excavation operation, a cutter member for each of said blades, and means for swinging said blades whereby when they are in one position the drum will be closed and when in another position the drum will be sufliciently open to allow'any material therein to drop therefrom under the action of gravity.

3. A foundation boring machine including a boring head of a certain diameter, a pair of boring blades arranged above said boring head, means for moving said blades radially so that they may extend beyond said boring head to enlarge the hole produced by said head, a power motor for rotating said head and said boring members, and a remote control structure for controlling the actuation of. said power motor and the means for moving said box lng members.

4. A foundation boring machine including a boring head, means for driving said boring head, an auxiliary boring structure comprising a pair or sliding cutters and means for sliding the cutters inwardly and. outwardly radially, and a remote control=structure connected to said last 3 electric motor for rotating part of the threaded structure for causing the threaded structure to function, and independent means at a remote point for independently controlling the rotation of the first mentioned electric motor and the rotation of the last mentioned electric motor, said last mentioned motor being capable of being reversed by controls at said remote point.

6. A foundation boring machine comprising a .lift boom having a guiding member at the top,

means acting on said guiding member and on said lift boom for raising. and lowering said unit, said unit including a plurality of telescoping squared shafts each shaft being provided with an enlarged end whereby an up-and-down movement of the parts may be secured while still engaging said guiding member, a frame connected with the innermost of said shafts, an electric driving motor carried by said frame, and a boring head supported and driven by said driving motor, said telescoping tubular shafts permitting an up-and-down movement of said boring head within the limits of the machine without the outermost tubular shaft moving out of contact with said driving means, whereby the electric motor carried by said frame may always react against said tubular shafts as it drives said head.

. EDWARD T. Sm. 

